Writers have always been stereotyped as solitary creatures. The image of the lone writer scribbling away in a garret has lingered over the centuries. But I’m not sure it’s true today.
26 Exchanges has now opened as part of the London Design Festival. I was at Carlton House Terrace this morning to see the 26 Exchanges exhibition for the first time. It’s strange but wonderful seeing one of your ideas not just come to life but grow significantly in the process. Thanks for that to all the writers involved and the designers Harry Pearce and Sanky.
The exchange between writers from 26 and International PEN first appeared as a blog at the time of the Free the Word festival in April. Stories or poems from PEN writers in different countries and languages were emailed to the 26 writers in the UK. Eleven pairs of writers were formed. What followed was a search for meaning across the borders of nation and language, geography and culture. The writers shared thoughts through the exchange of words as they tried to find a shared meaning. Was this translation or the creation of something new and often unexpected?
You can judge for yourself at the exhibition and by reading the accompanying book. What is certain is that the whole process has been one of collaboration – between organisations, between writers and designers, and between writers in different countries. I believe more than a hundred people have been involved in a variety of different roles. At the heart of the project is the simple idea of writers working together with other writers towards a common cause. This is demonstrated through the words that make up the exchanges, their start points and end points, and the stories that emerged in between. But it also shows through the visual expression of the words in animated form and the recorded sound of the writers speaking their words to each other as you wander around the exhibition room.
It shows the potential released when writers of different kinds come together in a creative, supportive partnership. Collaborating like this gives greater power both to the collective and individual voices of writers.
The 26 Exchanges exhibition is at the Royal Academy of Engineering, 3 Carlton House Terrace from 21st till 25th September.
The first visitor this morning – Vera, an Indonesian student at the London College of Communications, said: “That was the most moving example of typography I’ve ever experienced.”
Gordon Kerr was at the reception and commented this morning on facebook: moving, inspiring and intensely beautiful.
Rob Self-Pierson posted a lovely blog:
http://www.rob-writes.blogspot.com
Thanks, John, Harry, Sanky and all others who have made this project happen. Fantastic example of creative collaboration. Intriguing multimedia installation. Beautiful book.
A great project. I’m very proud to have been involved in it.
And what a pleasure to meet John Simmons and Tom Lynham on Tuesday!